RWBY: Verdigris
by hizumi.ketsueki
Summary: After the fall of Vale's communication tower, a wandering student searches for a "close" friend. With their search just about done, they rush towards the hope of finally meeting them.
_"Long lost time,_

 _Fall's upon the blooded streets._

 _Always falling into the cold sweet darkness,_

 _That is the eternal embrace of decay."_

The snow crushed lightly under his feet as he moved threw the freshly fallen snow. His long ash blond hair seeming to bounce with each lightly impacted like step onto the leave, snow mix on the ground. The trees seeming to stretch every which direction. He paused for a moment, touching the ground lightly as he looked over a foot print that was placed onto the ground. His long brown leather trench coat laying on top of the light layer of snow, folding lightly as his shoulders got covered by his thick long hair, his pale flesh seeming to match the pale color of the snow below his feet, only to be set off by the black t-shirt that he wore under the coat. His finger-less gloves let his hands press into the soft earth. His lips curled into a light smile as he pushed himself up from the ground looking into the opposite direction of the foot prints. He had been seemingly backtracking a group that had left from this area. His blue faded jeans seeming to hold onto the snow for a moment before letting it fall down from his knee's. His pale features seeming to match his skin tone, as his sharp ice blue-gray as looked forward down the seeming like path. He kicked off from the ground entering his rather silent run as he continued down the path before him. His parted hair seeming to just flow along.

It had taken a few more moments before he came close enough to see a house. Place in what seemed to be the middle of the forest. Though the clearing said otherwise. Maybe it was just some sort of bad tip he thought to himself as he placed his hand on the nearby tree. His fingers slightly red from contact with the cold snow itself. Though the tree didn't seem to be so cold. Holding a rather warm like texture to it. Of course it wasn't that cold per say out here either. The soft breeze would occasionally blow past him, pushing in the scent of activity in the building ahead. He pulled his scroll out quickly from his back pocket, pushing aside a rectangle like object that had a massive blade pointing up towards the sky. It was held to his back by a belt that was laced with silver studs across it. Though the belt turned into a pair when you looked more to his crotch area, doubling the support for the black rectangular weapon. Only to be covered by his trench coat. He turned the scroll on, it's display activating as it show that the long distance calling wasn't really something available in the area. Just like he figured when he was at the festival. With the fall of the tower this area was a dead zone for long distance communication. Not so bad being most of his information gathering didn't need anything like that. Just hints and mess contacts...though it hadn't really occurred to him, but he could have probably just looked up her location, and that of her team with the school maybe? No...probably not. What would he had said if they asked why?

"Oh you know, we have been pen pals for sometime, and ahhh, we were suppose to meet up during the festival. But some things came up and I was a little late." He thought to himself as he pushed threw the information that was on the phone, showing his look into the team. RWBY, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long. His pen pal had been put into this team during her entrance exam. It seemed like she was really happy, but she generally always seemed that way. Her blunt straight up nature was rather interesting, something that had kept him together for sometime. He looked to the building once more. Of course it wasn't anything really special per say, at least...not in his mind. A standard log house, well maintained. But of course he couldn't help but feel a turn in his stomach as he looked at it. It would be the first time he would even have a chance to meet her. And from the looks of it maybe they had some sort of party? or...a meeting? It was hard to tell based on the foot prints he followed to come here alone.

With a quick look over to the door he looked at the entire building. Openings, ways in ways out. You could say it was more of a second nature for him...after most of his training was little more then excessive from his family. "Get out of this, get out of that, do this do that." it wasn't ever something simple. He went to take a step forward before catching a glimpse of her in a window. A dazed dark look on her face. She seemed to be staring out into the darkness, nothing really was even attracting her attention as he watched her back. No this wasn't her...what happened? She never responded to his last message...well the one before the shut down of the entire communications in this area. Her gold hair still seemed to glow lightly, though her violet eyes just seemed...broken. Dead. He watched longer, and realized that he had been standing in a mesmerized gaze. For a few moments to long with the sound of the front door opening. What could be described as her father seemed to be walking out. He looked at him for a moment before taking a step back. It probably was one of those, "only if you are invited moments." But he couldn't shake the feeling that this was much to gloomy. Not someone like her, someone who helped him threw dark times. Sure it wasn't always...in the most best of ways still.

"Ok, well your a rather creepy one aren't you." The man stated as he watched the gaze of the man before him.

He sighed before turning his gaze to focus on the man more. He had short gold hair, much like he thought at the quick glance the man was indeed her father, if not someone important to her in some way? He had blue eyes, a rounded but strong chin and a seeming light beard around his face. The beard was trimmed to outline his chin already more as it kept the same gold like color, he also had a blond soul patch.. He was slightly tan, well that was easy to say as if you compared anyone to himself it would seem like almost everyone was tanned. He wore a brown leather vest over his tan dress shirt with his right sleeve seeming to have been cut off. He seemed to have a tattoo on his right arm, and to say the least it was tribal of some sort. He had on brown cargo shorts, for which were held their possibly by a dark brown belt and black shoes. On his left arm he seemed to have tied a red bandanna.

"Before we...seem to make this any worse then it already is. My name is Vert, Vert Lafleur." Vert stated to the man, it was better he get the introductions over with before anything else. He moved towards the man and out stretched his hand.

"Right." The man paused and looked him up and down. "And how does this make you any less creepy looking at my daughter threw the window?" He emphasized on that one word Daughter. As authoritative as he could get it seemed. The man was indeed rather protective of her. However, it seemed to come at a misunderstanding.

"Ahh.." Vert tried to think over what he could do as a response before the man jumped forward suddenly, his kick coming down from high up. You could say a high kick of sorts. With Vert seeming to scramble for a short second before blocking it. The impact could be felt as it shuck threw him and the father nimbly pulled his right leg back.

"As I thought, your not just anyone. So your a Huntsman? Maybe a student?" He stated, it seemed he wasn't as defensive now...well seemed that way at least. It didn't come off from the fact that his arms now have a throbbing pain in them now from blocking a blow from a man who was clearly a huntsman.

"Eh, I'm sorry for coming like this. I mean I would have called but you know...kinda hard to err..do anything in that sort of fashion with the fallen tower. I'm a student. I come from Haven Academy." He stated, it was all mostly true...mostly. Not like it matter though.

"Haven? So your from Mistral then? So you came here for?" It seemed he was irritating her father. Clearly not a good first meeting of his friends family...at all.

"I'm here to meet Yang. We originally were going to meet at the Vytal festival, but things came up. I landed up coming late, then was fighting threw Grimm and an invasion with my team. It...was quite the first visit to Vale, but in the end I never got to meet her. We have been pen pals since before her joining Beacon Academy." He just decided to get this over with. The man was clearly getting agitated, and most of all he was sure he landed up catching while he was leaving to go somewhere. So basically a lot of negative points. And with Yang looking like that...he could only imagine.

"She's not seeing anyone Vert." He stated calmly to him, looking at him with his blue eyes. "You should probably return to your team. I'm sure they are waiting for you." He stated trying to brush him away as the man walked past him.

Why wouldn't he just let him in? Of course he could just break into the house, but what would that say about him? "Oh look i'm able to bust into you house. Ooooooo, i'm probably a robber or rapist." Yah never the smart choice, and he was a hunstman...he didn't want to fight him if he could avoid it.

"Sir, I don't know you name. But I can tell you are truly protective of Yang. I just wish to see her once. I have come a very long way. And even came all the way here. I dunno how much devotion I need to show. But I promise I have no ill intentions or whatever you were thinking of." He stated to him as the father seemed to ignore him all the way till the last sentence.

"Ill intentions? I haven't thought of it like that. Now I do though. How about you come see her when she feels better?" He stated as he picked up chopped wood. And turned to look at him, throwing it to him. Forcing him to catch it. "If you are coming into my home, for today, you better be ready to do anything I ask. If you do that, I'll think over what you are asking."

He held the wood stack as he watched him move. If anything it managed to get him into the house...but why was it every time he met someones father it would come to this weird maybe's. What happened to, "If you are telling the truth then I will ask her to come here." Or whatever something like that. Not "Oh hey free slave labour! PROVE YOUR MIGHT!" He sighed without even really caring past his own thoughts. It was at least one part of getting in?

The chores seemed to be...well maid like. He spent more of his time cleaning dishes, and preparing food. Cutting up some wood and looking to make sure the dust levels were OK. Of course there was electricity in the house. The halls were all light brown wood, as one would expect from a log cabin..log house?. It did sit in his mind for a moment. There seemed to be bedrooms, a living room/meeting room of sorts, a kitchen and 2 bathrooms. Though some of the rooms were rather large. Having enough room for 2 beds, and a chair, and a table, and more. It wasn't long before the day seemed to pass. However, he managed to get what he wanted as he was bringing the tray that held her fathers current dish the light golden haired woman seemed to step out of her room before he basically slammed onto the breaks and she looked at the tray for a moment, almost dead like in her gaze before moving her eyes up. Beginning to speak. "Hey i-" she stepped back for a moment, it seemed like she was shocked for a slight moment but both her hands couldn't come up. No, only one did as her right lower arm had been cut off it seemed. Wrapped up in nothing but band-aids. She seemed to freak out before pushing the door closed. She seemed to be wearing a brown t-shirt. And had on matching pants. But she clearly didn't expect him to be there. He almost dropped the metal plate if it wasn't for the fact that he knew he had to return it to the kitchen. Taking a rather quick motion to do so. He placed it on the counter before taking off the apron. Without seeing the father watching him carefully. He moved back to the closed door. Listening carefully before tapping on the door lightly.

"Quite the odd way to meet huh?" He said calmly, his face sad but he knew she couldn't see it. "I waited for you, and looked for you."

"Why did you wait? You don't even know me. Why are you even here?" She responded, her voice sounded hurt, depressed. Something was weighing on her. But it's clear she knew who he was. He was taller then her, that much was true. He was 6'1", while she was 5'8".

"I waited because I wanted to meet you. We are friends, I would look everywhere to find you." He stated kindly. Though hiding his sorrow, his anger...who had done that do her? Who did he need to kill? Why...they needed to burn. "And I'm here to prove that. Though, your father seems to be more on the prove yourself or you can't be near anything."

He heard a light sigh and a light walk to the door. Before it was opened, her lilac eyes looked up to him as they met his gaze. They weren't really all looking at him, empty, but still she had shown him, she was here.

"Listen, I...i don't want to meet anyone right now. I'm sorry but, I just want to be alone for now." Yang stated as she looked away from him moving back to her bed. The room door still open as she slid herself into the bed and looked back out to the window. "I just need some time for myself, i'm happy you came Vert. But please just leave." He watched her as she gazed out into the darkness once more. Feeling a heavy weight on his shoulder as her father looked down to him. He turned and looked at him, as he walked towards the front door going outside.

"Well now I know. You are indeed her friend, look. You are welcome to stay. It's sad to say, but that small reaction was the only one I've been able to see out of her since the event. Though you'll have to stay in the room at night." He stated as he looked at him.

"I understand, may I ask what happened?" Vert asked him carefully. "I merely wish to know sir..."

He looked at him for a moment. "From my understanding, you should probably get it from her. Just listen, don't do anything stupid. She needs friends just as much as she needs her family. But if you do something wrong I'm going to make it just family. I wont let anyone hurt her ever again."

"I understand."

"Taiyang."

"Pardon?"

"My name, It's Taiyang. You have to stop calling me sir. It's just weird. I'm not your teacher."

"Of course, Taiyang." Vert responded.

"Yah, come on Vert, it's getting late and we'll need to rest for another day tomorrow. No point in us getting sick out here. I'll show you too your room." He pointed into the house with a slight head tilt as if to tell him to come in again. They stepped in as the door closed behind him.

Night crept in as it brought over the reflection of light from the cracked moon. It's light seeming to light up his room. Though he was unsettled, of course this was normal. This was normally when he was active. Moving around and doing his normal training. To sleep now, was something that wasn't easy for him. He moved lightly out of the blankets that had kept him warm. The heavy sheets seeming to be darkened from their already black color. He put himself to look to the window before taking a step out of his door. The sound of deep slumber filled the halls from Taiyang. Of course this wasn't too bad, he didn't really wish to do anything. Hell he wasn't even interested in some weird teenish desire to see Yang sleep. No, his body called him to train. He didn't have much choice in that matter. He moved to open the door to the front leaving the door unlocked as he stepped out.

As he closed the door lightly behind him he shivered a bit has he was only in his black shirt and black checkered boxers. His bardiche seeming to hang in his hand, he had picked it up on his way out. He moved towards the tree he was seeing before. The clearing seeming to be enough for him. Swinging the bardiche over his back with a quick step his bare feet stepping onto the cold earth, pushing the snow around them as the blade cut down threw the air. He pulled back, reverse spinning left. Twirling the blade with an elegance as if he was fighting multiple people around him. He adjusted his right foot once more taking a deep sweep around his area before sliding his left foot swiftly in a twirl as the blade cut the air around him horizontally. He danced his vicious dance around him, with any of the leaves falling from any tree being cut by it with precision. His eyes determined as he played out the events at the fall of vale in his mind. Another spin as he dodged a Beowulf and cut it down with relative ease, training bent on killing anything. Yes everything had to die around him. His team moving swiftly as they functioned as an effective killing machine. Their targets were the Grimm, and they all needed to be exterminated. Every motion with expected death, not one step was wasted. The twirling dance of death seeming to meet anything in his way. "Block the shot, move faster, don't miss" his mind continued to play it out. The screams of the people around him seeming to echo into his mind. "Next target to add, the militaries robots, no longer allies terminate." With a quick step he pushed himself up, his bare foot slamming down on the ground as the snow continued to bite away at his feet. The cold crisp feeling between his toes as he continued to play out the event. His hands didn't stop as he kept in his circle, aware of his current surroundings while playing out the world before him in his mind. Next up the White fang. Why was all this happening? Swift dodge to the right as the shots fired at him, his cousin taking out the members with quick ease. He took another heavy swing cutting the snow swiftly leaving another mark into the ground. The snow had begun to show gouges in it as his extremely sharp blade made it's markings in it. He dropped the bardiche blade down into the ground, missing his toes just lightly as he pushed into his true combat specialty. Hand to hand execution combat. A swift move as he struck at a mans throat, turning quickly with a wide heel kick into the side of the skull of another man. A Beowulf jumped out to fight him as he caught it with his aura protecting him from direct harm as it just rotted as he slammed his right hand threw it's throat. An Ursa? Another target to be taken down as his hands began to bleed, the area around him seemed to be laced with his movements, a dance of kicks , punches. Every shot was to kill. On just incapacitate but to end. His hands darkened in color as it climbed up his arms. Already seeming to hold a few deep scars that marked them. The black-green aura seemed to flame around them as the air seemed to silence around it. He had to move faster be better.

"What are you doing?" "You can't go back in time and save her from that pain? You don't even know how it was caused."

"Shut it!" Vert yelled at himself in his mind as he looked up to see her watching him threw the window. Her eyes weren't dazed. They where watching him in concern. He looked down to the ground around him seeing blood marking around him, as his arms seemed to be bleeding and his hands again. No, this wasn't right...he looked to his feet as they were bleeding from being cracked from the cold tearing away at his flesh. That's right he got too consumed...how could he change the pass. He looked back to see she wasn't there as the door was open as he fell to one knee. Yah, Definitely a little to much. He wasn't going to lose consciousness. He just needed to turn off his semblance...it would be fine then.

"What are you doing?" She stated to him as he heard her foot steps. Her eyes looking at him, maybe she was still depressed, but at this moment it wasn't something she seemed to care too much about. "Are you insane? You are bleeding everywhere." She stated as she tried to look at him with her right arm before pulling back and touching him with her left hand.

He pulled on her lightly causing her to fall over to him as he held her close. "I'm sorry.." Vert told her as she seemed to look up at him.

"No...don't say that."

"It's fine. We are friends, I'm sorry I couldn't find you...i couldn't help you. I'm sorry I couldn't make whoever did this pay." Vert stated as he felt her tighten the hug with her left arm.

"Why...why.." she said as she began to cry against him. No, it was clearly a long needed cry. He didn't know if she had done it before. But under the moonlight this time, she let it out. He held onto her, bloody armed and all as she cried. He merely held her close as she did so, choosing not to let her go.

"I'll never let it happen, never again. They will all pay." He whispered to her as she continued to cry. All the while, her father watched with a slight smile on his face. Looking threw the window as he waited for the right moment to get them to come back in to the warm house.


End file.
